Dear FRONTLINE,Sadly, our prisons are full of innocent people and many guilty ones are free because of plea bargaining.
I do not believe in plea bargaining. Who wouldn't lie to save their own skin? Get someone you can hang it on and no one looks further. The criminal justice system is becoming a joke. What is justice. It depends on what state you are in. That is why I would never advocate the death penalty...never for the risk of one innocent man or woman going to their death based on a plea bargain.
garwin, iowa
Dear FRONTLINE, As a lawyer in Virginia, the Terence Garner case troubles me. I sit at my keyboard ashamed of the conduct of the prosecutor, law enforcement personnel, and the judge in the North Carolina jurisdiction. And ashamed of myelf for ignoring the plight of many people who face the criminal justice sytem severely disadvantaged in so many ways. I am not a criminal attorney. Yet, your show prompts me to ponder what value my oath as an attorney has when I spend my time representing corporate clients while turning a blind eye to the injustices and errors of our criminal justice system. Your show forces me to search my conscience to find what role I can play in improving the system. Thank-you for shaking me up. I needed a wake-up call and I hope others feel the same way.
Patrick Hurd
manassas, va
Dear FRONTLINE, My parents were watching this program and I only saw the last half of it. We all had such strong reactions (who wouldn't?) during the show that we were in shock afterwards. Then I read in the T.V. Guide that the show was given a 3 out of 10 by Susan Stewart, because
it had too many "talking heads," too many guys "with the same name" and wasn't action-packed enough to keep her attention. What were her words? Something like even a case as outrageous as this didn't make interesting T.V. I don't understand how anyone could have watched that and just yawned and thought, "Oooh, can't wait for Will & Grace." I mean, it's a man's life! It's not Law & Order. Also, what can regular unimportant people do in a case like this? Is there even a very tiny thing, or is just knowing about it all we can do?
Laura Barron
hyannis, ma
Dear FRONTLINE, I am absolutely taken aback by what i have just seen. It is totally beyond belief that in this day and age that such a miscariage of justice is allowed to proceed unabated and corrected. It is painfully obvious that a new trial with "all" facts laid out is in order. There are entirely too many "holes" that are left unaccounted for. Are we still at the point in our judical system where it is more important to cover each other's backs rather than capitulate to the truth or at least a fair hearing of all facts to get to the truth???
Tim Andrews
snellville, ga
Dear FRONTLINE, As a last resort, for the viewing public, without every detail available to us, including the record of Terrance Garner, would Alice submit to hypnosis by a reputable physician completely unfamiliar with the case? To be perfectly honest, some of the testimony is less than credible, and on first blush, it could be a scam either way by these guys. The cousin Terrance, is he going away for another crime? Too many unanswered questions. Post the trial transcript, please...
albany, georgia
Dear FRONTLINE, I feel ashamed to live in this state with elected officials that lie and are closed-minded and are just plain wrong. Another scary thought is that I have heared of judicial officials from district to superior to state supreme courts all my life that have made as big of mistakes and it never gets publicized. I doubt there will ever be any justice for Gardner. It may not be a perfect system as they say, but this case is just plain wrong.
Mark Barbee
charlotte, nc
Dear FRONTLINE, The district atty. is the biggest, most obvious liar I've ever seen on Frontline, and they've had a few. I saw the man who shot me in Vietnam, and one day later I couln't pick him out of a one man lineup. For crying out loud, a kid is gonna spend the rest of his life in jail to save the job of a few phony baloney old white men.
David Thomas
rochester, mn
Dear FRONTLINE, I'm sad to say that this type of thing happens more often then people know. I'm familiar with the North Carolina system of justice. I graduated from Duke law school, did internships at the DA's office in Durham County, and North Carolina Prisoner's Legal Services. The things that I saw take place so bothered me that I wrote of my objections in a paper to my clinical professors at Duke and refused to participate. But make no mistake, these problems are not limited to North Carolina. I saw just as many injustices when I worked at the criminal division of the Attorney General's Office in Florida. Viewing this story brought back lots of bad memories. It's those memories and experiences that made me walk away from the practice of law.
M. August
boynton beach, florida
Dear FRONTLINE, Thank you for bringing out so vividly the problems we have with our criminal justice system. Most often we only hear politicians, judges, and lawyers patting themselves on the back about what a wonderful justice system we have and most people believe this, because, after all, aren't we the most powerful, just, and rightious people ever? Most often it is the poor, underprivilged people who speak out against the injustices the most - but who hears them? You have lit a fire in me. I intend to make some noise about this - do you think those with the power to do something will hear it?
Shirley Zempel
ann arbor, mi
Dear FRONTLINE, Thank you for presenting this story by your superb reporter. It is shocking. The truth seems so patently clear. Has the woman eye witness not seen the story of a woman sobbing after the man she identified as her rapist spent 19 years in jail and then was found innocent through DNA testing. I think there have been several of these. You can see a rapist up very close- and still be wrong - why is she so sure she's right? Why wouldn't the judge admit expert witnesses on the reliability of eye witness reports. Why does he not know from other cases how unreliable they are. The judge seems obviously unjust and concerned only for his own reputation- as the woman reporter said he appeared to her. I wonder what kind of a reputation he thinks he will have now that Frontline has told this story.
I just hope that as in other cases Terance Garner will be freed as a result of this excellent reporting.
Sarah Arnold
topsham, me
Dear FRONTLINE, I hope that this Frontline program, An Ordinary Crime, focuses enough attention to the Garner case for a new trial. Shameful facts were revealed and a fair trial is definitely in order. It is impossible to get at all the details in a short documentary but enough was presented that indicates that Garner did not receive a fair trial. It is shocking that the man that might be innocent of this crime could end up receiving the longest punishment.
John McLaughlin
lewes, de
Dear FRONTLINE, After viewing the Frontline piece, I was thoroughly disgusted with the brand of justice served in areas of North Carolina and especially with judge Jenkins. Power seems to have blinded the sense of justice in this lowly man and there certainly seems need for a more effective watchdog role in this system to remove individuals such as these from the honor of the bench. Unfortunately the law and the system is only as perfect as the men who uphold. It certainly seems in this case that the system continues to be manipulated by the ill-wills of very dishonorable men. For it cannot be blamed upon those whom were vulnerably manipulated by those who had the power to do so nor the eye-witnesses whose self-confident identifications are oft shown to be inaccurate long after the crime. Semms that the "good ole boys" system of justice is still alive and well in certain areas of North Carolina. "There goes my election" and "gonna lose my house" sound more like quotes from a bad Dukes of Hazzard episode than the sad real life of certain individuals in the law system in N.C. My prayers go with Terrance Garner and his family.
May God reverse the injustices caused by those who are not worthy of Him.
Ric Huber
brooklyn, ny
Dear FRONTLINE, From the information presented in the T.V. program a severe injustice is taking place. There must be a way for
a higher level of authority to not only over-ride unfair
decisions but to bring people to task that will not alter
thier opinions for selfish reasons. The women that was shot admits to severe trauma and her
doctor says she will probably never fully recover from her mental state. Isn't it possible that her testimony may be clouded by her trauma? Thank you for making so many people aware of possible flaws in our legal system.
Anthony Sersen
baltimore, maryland
Dear FRONTLINE, What a horrible shame! I cannot get Garner out of my mind. To think that a young man has been sacrificed because adults who have the power in this case, will not admit the truth and the adults who admit the truth, have no power. The DA looked like he didn't know how to answer the interview and the Judge looked like a pompous ass. This case makes me ashamed but it also means that I can no longer be naive when faced with this story. Our judicial system, though good, is very flawed. Hopefully, justice will be served before 32 years!!!!
pineville, nc
Dear FRONTLINE, This is a case of racism and corruption both of which are wide spread in Smithfield. It is worth noting though that F. Naron was defeated and K. Jenkins is also on his way out of power. These men represent an "old school" that has preserved itself in a niche. I hope Gov. Easley will be besieged by demands to pardon Mr. Garner. I know many of the men who made or allowed this to happen and for that I am ashamed
smithfield, nc
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